Turin 2006: curling training venue inaugurated

The new Olympic curling training venue in Pinerolo was inaugurated on Saturday 30 October 2004. This is the first temporary Olympic venue to be completed for the 2006 Games. The temporary structure has been erected next to the Palaghiaccio, the venue for the Olympic and Paralympic curling competitions, and will be used as a training and support venue for the upcoming curling sports events (March 2005) and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2006.

Three rinks
The Pinerolo temporary venue will be run initially by the town of Pinerolo, until the summer of 2005, at which point, it will return to TOROC management. The facility cost EUR 600,000 and includes three curling rinks, two locker rooms, offices, a trainers’ area and a classroom for sports education and training activities. The building is a flexible structure that can also be used for other sports like tennis, basketball and volleyball.

Curling Promotion
The venue will be used, between now and the Games, to help promote the sport of curling in the Val Chisone region, where the curling events will be centred. There are plans to launch two initiatives, in association with the Pinerolo Sporting Club, to involve the local community in curling. The first initiative (Sports in School: Curling) targets school-age children, and will try to increase their knowledge of curling, as well as give them an opportunity to increase their interest and enthusiasm for this sport. The second initiative (The Competitive and Amateur Promotion of Curling) is aimed at building a base of competitive and amateur players that can then form independent curling clubs and generally improve the level of curling in the area.